Saul did NOT do what God called him to do and so lost his kingship. Chapter 16 starts with Samuel feeling pretty down about being a failure in his choice and the appointment of Saul as king. For Samuel this was to be a chapter closed. God did not want Samuel to look back in the past, now is the time for Samuel to look forward.

For each of us we cannot change the past but with God’s help we can look forward to what God might have for us in the future? When Samuel was down and tended to look backwards, God gave him a revelation. What was God’s Revelation, God’s Vision for Samuel?

John warned against believing every spirit; that is, we are never to assume every spiritual experience or every demonstration of spiritual power is from God. We must test spiritual experiences and spiritual phenomenon to see if they are in fact from God.

Many people even today, when first encountering the reality of the spiritual world, are too impressed and amazed to ask whether they are of God. This leads to easy deception.

What John is saying here in this passage is that to dislike someone or to love them less ___ John puts that on the same footing as you and I displaying hatred to another Christian brother or sister.

What has been said right through this letter that John wrote is that unless I am working to love others without conditions then to do anything less has a critical bearing on our eternal future ___ where you and I will spend life forever and ever when our physical body dies.

Can God take you from a place of where you think that God is not listening to where God transforms and gives you a new sense of direction and purpose to move forward?

This week David Woodroofe (Woody) shares the life that Joy and he have been blessed with in their life together over the past 43 years….the family, the love, work, the challenges, the tragedies, the friends and our spiritual walk.

SALT:

What type of an after taste do you leave? God’s flavour or something else?

If we don’t bring God’s flavour, then we are irrelevant.

LIGHT:

Do people know you are a follower of Jesus?

Do people think you are a church goer or someone who believes in Jesus?

Jesus did not die for me ___ He died AS ME!!!

Once we say yes to God you instantly have the same DNA as God.

It doesn't matter where you come from, what you did, how hard your life was ___ the second that you say yes to Jesus you become one with Him.

God's plans are good. We might not understand them or see where it will lead to, but if we stand on the rock of God, trust Him with all our hearts ___ He will carry us through.

Who do you put your trust in? Where will you spend eternity?

Other Bible Readings:

Ephesians 5:8, John 14:6 & 2 Corinthians 5:21

When we belong to Jesus we have a home waiting for us in Heaven. Is Jesus no.1 and am I keeping my eyes on Jesus.

We have to fully submit to God and trust that he knows the plan for our lives much better than we do. Jesus outlines what it will cost to follow him so that we can prepare for what is to come.

If I lose my job because I love Jesus is that okay with me?

If I lose my life today because of Jesus is that okay?

Jesus is saying is that we are not to worry about what we are to say ___ why? Jesus says that He will

give you the right words

at the right time and that

it will be the Holy Spirit speaking through you.

John goes on to strongly let us know that it’s not a matter of letting these words expressing love, care and concern for others to roll off our tongue. He says that’s not good enough and our love care and concern for others must be visible and evident.